Senate Finance Committee Chairman John DeFrancisco argued that many in the public now want it and the state can use the tax revenue it would generate: "It's the smart thing to do, it's the right thing to do," DeFrancisco said.
The sport's fate in the state now rests in the hands of the state Assembly, which in previous years has nixed efforts to legalize and regulate mixed martial arts.
Assembly bill sponsor Steven Englebright (D-Long Island) couldn't handicap the bill's chances moving forward. "The Senate action could cause some people to take another look," Englebright said.
Gov. Cuomo has not taken a formal position on the sport, but did not include it in his budget proposal earlier this year.
Ultimate Fighting Championship League Light Heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones, who hails from Rochester, was at the Capitol lobbying and posing with lawmakers.
"Hopefully the same energy can carry over to the Assembly," Jones said after the Senate vote.
Banned in New York in 1997, ultimate fighting allows punching, kicking and chokeholds. Matches end with knockouts, submissions -- or a referee's order.
Supporters note the sport is not the same as the no-holds barred days of more than a decade ago, and note that 45 states now regulate mixed martial arts.
